By federal law, railroad trainmen are not allowed to work more than twelve hours in one continuous shift. Because of the uncertainty of traffic conditions and other possible delays, trains must be scheduled to arrive at a convenient location for changing crews. Usually, this is about one hour before the expiration of the twelve hour time limit. Otherwise, by law, the train must be stopped where it is and the new crew must be brought to the train. The necessity of avoiding an inconvenient and expensive change of crews requires that the entire train system be scheduled at less than full capacity.
In mid-1985, a self-unloading train was developed by the present inventor. This invention, describes in detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 047,005, filed on May 6, 1987, and entitled "Self-Unloading Train for Bulk Commodities", describes a train having the rapid unloading capability of a belt system and the carrying capacity of a railroad-size hopper. This self-unloading train incorporated a ten-car unit train and a transfer-conveyor car. The transfer-conveyor car consisted of a low-profile flat car equipped with belt drives, unloading booms, and an auxiliary diesel engine. In operation, each hopper car is emptied onto a four foot wide longitudinal belt which carries the material from the hopper cars to the transfer cars. When entering the transfer car, the belt ascends at a twenty degree angle, on a lift conveyor, thereby lifting the aggregate stream approximately twelve feet to where it is dropped through a small hopper onto a second belt. The second belt is mounted on a thirty foot pivoted unloading boom. The boom is tilted upward at a twenty degree angle, and is capable of being swung through a one hundred and ten degree are on either side of the train. This self-unloading train greatly maximizes the efficiency of manpower, carrying capacity, and aggregate transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,020, issued on Oct. 31, 1978, describes a VTOL launching and retrieval system. This system has a mechanical arm equipped with a clamping device arranged to take hold of the VTOL while it is in an upright position. The helicopter has a landing gear of cylindrical shape. A grasping arm reaches this landing gear, grabs the gear, and moves the VTOL into its hanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,114, issued on Oct. 16, 1979, describes a mobile aerial support system. In other words, this describes a mobile pad for a helicopter consisting of an open, drop-bed trailer which is adapted to bear and restrain the helicopter. A tractor is adapted to pull the trailer with the helicopter mounted thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,147,940, issued on Sept. 8, 1964, describes, in detail, a portable heliport and associated transporting vehicle. In this invention, the vehicle also serves as a working platform for readying the helicopter for flight operations. The pilot can land the helicopter on the open platform. The prior art in this area does not recognize the need of helicopter platforms for use in conjunction with trains.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a helicopter pad that can be used in conjunction with trains.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a helicopter pad that maximizes the efficiency of crew usage.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a helicopter pad that maximizes the safety of the helicopter, the helicopter crew, and the manpower onboard the helicopter.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a helicopter pad that is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to adapt, and does not occupy otherwise useful space onboard a train.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.